Nairobi — Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has condemned the "acts of vandalism and destruction of public infrastructure" that occurred during the Azimio protests on Wednesday.
Murkomen stated that his office has taken immediate action by contacting the Office of the Director of Criminal Investigations to initiate investigations and apprehend those responsible for the unlawful acts.
"As a country, we cannot normalise such acts of violence, lawlessness and vandalism committed on the pretext of exercising political rights," he said.
He emphasized the importance of identifying and bringing to justice individuals captured on the CCTV cameras.
"The perpetrators of such heinous acts must be apprehended and punished," he said.
The demonstrations that occurred in various major towns throughout the country resulted in significant damage to infrastructure, particularly in Nairobi, where protesters vandalized a section of the Nairobi Expressway in Mlolongo.
Additionally, clashes between the protesters and the police led to substantial damage on certain roads, as they engaged in confrontations and running battles.
To prevent similar acts of vandalism in future protests, Murkomen emphasized the need for organizers to provide assurances to the authorities that their demonstrations will not lead to any destruction.
"Failure to which they will be held personally responsible for losses incurred through theft, vandalism, and the destruction of public infrastructure and property," he said.
The Azimio coalition, under the leadership of Raila Odinga, organized the nationwide mass action to protest against the administration of President William Ruto, citing its failure to effectively address the soaring cost of living.
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The coalition is further provoked by the government's decision, as outlined in the temporarily suspended Finance Act 2023, to impose tax increases in various sectors.
Despite Raila's cancellation of his planned Kamukunji rally in Nairobi, where he intended to address his supporters, protests erupted in major towns across the country.
They regrettably, turned violent and resulted in loss of lives.
Following the events, the former Prime Minister made allegations suggesting that the police were responsible for the deaths of seven protesters, alleging that they were shot.
However, the authenticity of these claims could not be independently verified by Capital News, as the authorities had not yet released an official statement regarding the incidents of the day.
During a press briefing that took place after he was prevented from gathering at the Kamukunji grounds, Raila strongly criticized the police, accusing them of employing excessive force in their attempts to disperse his supporters.
"Police are the ones who provoke the people," he said, "demonstrations and protests are always peaceful until police show up."
